Switch mechanism



March 15, 1932. R. PUDELKO SWITCH MECHANISM Filed March 22, 1928INVENTOE ATOIEHEY.

Patented s. 15,1932

UNITED STATES PATENT; orricr.

BICCARD' PUDEL KO, OF ZUG, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOB TO LANDIS 8a G'YR,A.-G., A

JOINT-STOCK COMPANY 01 SWITZERLAND swnrcn MECHANISM Application filedHatch 22,1828, Sex-181 119. 263,874, and. in Switzerland March so, 1927.

The invention relates to novel and useful improvements in electricswitches, and more especially to novel and useful improvements in suchswitches which are especially designed to prevent arcing. 1 Objects andadvantages of the inventio will be set forth in part hereinafter and inpart will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with theinvention, the 1 same being realized and attained by means of theinstrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements,combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a parthereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and 29 together withthe description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings: a

Fig. 1 may be regarded either as a top plan or front elevation of amechanism embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 corresponds to Fig. 1 with the front switch-actuating plate andits operating means removed, and is substantially on the line 33 of Fig.4;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line l4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view.

The invention is directed primarily to providing a switch mechanism ofthe type wherein the circuit is simultaneously broken at a plurality ofpoints in order to minimize or prevent arcing, there being usuallyutilized a main current switch, which is opened just before and closedjust subsequent to the opening and closing of the first-mentioned switchmechanism. The present invention is further directed to providing such amechanism which is of simple and sturdy construction and which isreliable, uniform and quick in its action, which has a minimum of movingparts, and is self-corrective to avoid imperfeet contacts at any one ofthe makes and breaks in the secondary or arc-preventing switchmechanism. 1

Referring now in detail to the embodiment of the invention illustratedby way of example in the accompanying drawings, the invention is shownapplied to a contact switch, although it. is applicable to other kindsof switches, and it will be understood that the form of embodiment ofthe various features of the invention may be widely varied.

In the drawings an embodiment is shown having simultaneously operatedand controlled make and break mechanisms for a three wire circuit, orfor three circuits; although it will be understood that switch mechanismembodying the invention can be used singly or in other varying numbersas well. In said specific embodiment, supporting plates 1, 2 and 3 ofinsulating material are provided, and these plates are supported inparallel, spaced relationship by any suitable -means, such as screw rods9 passing through apertures in the corners of the plates and providedwith intervening spacing collars 10. The plates may be united at theirforward side edges by suitable traverses 11, and the entire mechanism,whether a single switch, or a plurality of switch mechanisms as shownin'the present embodiment, may be fixed to any suitable support by anglebrackets 12 fixed to the screw rods 9 and also fixed by screws 13 to thesupporting structure.

A description of a single circuit switch mechanism will sufiice foreither a single wire or a multi-wire system or for a group ofindependent switches mountedtogether. On the supporting plate 1, 2 or 3of insulated material is mounted a binding post or other circuitterminal device 19, and electrically con nected therewith is aconducting bar 20 fixed upon the insulating supporting plate. The bar 20is electrically connected to a fiat-faced, circular contact piece 21,which projects through the insulating supporting plate to the oppositeside thereof, to constitute one terminal of the main current switch.

The opposite line terminal comprises a binding post, or other suitabledevice 27, which is electrically connected to a conducting strip 28,mounted on the face of the supporting plate of insulating material, andconductively connected to said plate is'the rear end of a bent springycontact strip 29 prefer-- ably of J shape, which extends either throughor about the supporting plate and parallel to main current circuit.

In the embodied form of the secondary, delayed-action or arc-preventingswitch mechanism, there is provided a plurality of fixed, spaced-apartconducting members 33, shown as six in number, which are insulatedlymounted on the supporting base plate of insulating material and are inseries in the secondary switch. At the ri ht-hand end (Fig. 4), thefirst switch mem er 33 is electrically connected to the conducting strip20 of the main current circuit terminal 19 by means of a conductingstrip 34, and the lefthand end member 33 is in like manner connected bya conducting strip 35'to the other circuit terminal 27 The main currentswitch and the arc-preventing switch mechanism are thus in parallelbetween the switch terminals.

In theembodied form of means for simultaneously making and breaking thecircuit between each contiguous pair of contact de vices 33, there areprovided a number of resilient self-positioning devices equivalent innumber to the gaps between the contact pieces 33. As embodied, thesedevices are preferably cylindrical, or at least curved or shaped, andare carried on a resilient mounting whereby each will aline itself tofit accurately between two of the contacts 33, and make a firm and fullcontact therebetween when the switch is closed. As embodied, in each ofthese devices, a wire rod 38 is fastened at 39 upon the insulatingsupporting plate 1, and is preferably provided with severalspring-acting coil turns, and then projects forwardly toward and pastthe contacts 33. Each of these spring rods 38 carries a gapclosingdevice of the character described,

preferably a roller. 40, which is held in its place on the rod betweencollars 41 and 42. The spring rod 38 tends to hold the roller inengagement with the contacts 33 and thereby maintain the gapelectrically closed, and due to its resiliency will tend to force it accurately into the gap with full and firm contact on both contacts 33.

The circuit opening and closing mechanism opens the main circuit firstand closes it last, and, after the main switch is open, simultaneouslyopens all the gaps between the contacts 33 and simultaneously closesthem just beforethe main switch is closed. In the enigbodied form ofactuating mechanism, to open and close the secondary switch, a movableon the top or front of the switch mechanism (Figs. 1, 2 and 5), and isprovided with a.

plurality of slots 48 into which project the forward ends of therespective spring rods 38, so that the contacts 40 are opened and closedby the movement of the plate 47. Similarly, to open and close the mainswitch, there are provided in the plate 47 apertures 49 into whichroject the forward ends of the spring mem ers 29 of the main switches,whereby the main switch or switches are likewise operated by themovement of the plate 47.

In the embodied manner of mounting the plate 47, it is fastened to anglepieces 51 which are slidable on the respective traverses 11, and theseare mounted on the side reaches of a bail 52, by means of bolts orpivots 53. Bail 52 is pivotally mounted at 50, on either side, upon themembers 11. Actuating means are connected to the bail 52 in a suitablemanner, and as shown an arm ,54 is fixed to one of the side arms of thebail 52, and pivotally connected to the outer end of arm 54 is a rod'55, which may be connected to a time clock or other suitable automaticor manually operated controlling device.

The slots in the plate 47 are so positioned and proportioned that themain current switch will be opened just prior to the simultaneousopening of the secondary switch mechanism between each of the contacts33, and the secondary switch mechanism will be simultaneously closedbetween each of the contact pieces 33 just prior to the closing of themain switch, and thereby heavy and undesirable arcing will be obviated.By reason of the strong and simple construction of the switch mechanism,and by reason of the alternate fixed contacts in the secondary switchmechanism, and the shape of the intervening movable members in asecondary switch mechanism, and their universal resilientself-positioning spring action, and the positive form and action of theactuating mechanism, insures a clean and full contact at each of thegaps of the secondary switch -mechanism, and a simultaneously make anbreak at each of these gaps.

It will be understood that the'details of construction of the embodiedmechanism may be widely varied in so far as concerns the principalaspects of: the invention, without departing from the principles of theinvention and without sacrificing its chief advantage.

What I claim is 1. A switch mechanism including in combination a seriesof spaced apart stationary contact members adapted to be connected tonoI gether in series and to be disconnected from one another, a movableseries of contacts individually mounted on springs and insulated fromeach other, a slotted plate parallel to tit) tionary contacts in series,springs on which the movable contacts are mounted,-a plate having aplurality of slots through which the free ends of the springs project,the plate lying substantially perpendicular to the springs and means formoving the plate in its own plane to move the movable contacts into andout of contact with the stationary contacts.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

RIC CARD P l ELKO.

